Responsse to JJohn Jefferie’s article on LinkedIn

Christian Author, Novelist, Poet & Blogger

The above article and message has appeared on LinkedIn and I felt that site not appropriate for a career related site so I chose to publish my response this on my web site.

First of all, I am not a Christian hater but I feel many of the ways they approach recruitment to be unhealthy.

I resent this being published on a work recruitment site

I was born and raised as a son of a Church of Christ preacher where we attended church three times a week, went every night at meetings and read the bible at least once a week so I come with some experience.

My earlier childhood was an attempt to control me based on fear and guilt. It appeared I was headed for a church-filled life and at the age of 11-12 was already doing a little preaching. Around 13-14 I went through much emotional turmoil as I became sexually aware and again guilt/fear was used to reinforce my parents’ restrictive approach to sex, dancing, cursing, etc. I lived in constant fear and felt unworthy of god and my parents.

Then I became angry as I realized I was brig manipulated and refused church at the age of 13. I have spent a good part of my life in therapy dealing with guilt, fear and feelings of unworthiness

I watched people like me return to their church but, as a result of therapy and a life time of personal contemplation I increasingly moved in the other direction. I deem myself ready to respond to above.

First of all, my question to the question why aren’t more people Christian? I believe a simple definition to a Christian is “a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ.” People groups claiming Christianity include Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Seventh day Adventists, Mormons, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Pentecostal, Baptist including Southern, Nazarenes, Church of Christ, Methodists, etc., etc.

Many believe the path to redemption, and heaven can be achieved only through their sect. Some…Methodists, Episcopalians, etc. take a less rigid approach to the have-to’s. Some even question the divinity of Jesus.

Christianity has, first, a history of being persecuted and struggle to exist. Then Constantine became a Christian and away we go.

It’s sordid history include the decadence, incest, and general power of the middle ages popes. The graft, atrocities, immorality, are many. Then we have the inquisition, the holy wars against Moslem influence and to take back the holy land, etc. Then the Spaniards come to the new world and with extreme cruelty and force, turn the southern hemisphere to Catholicism. In all cases indigenous people are subjugated and decimated by war, new diseases, including STD’s small pox, influenza, leprosy, and general removal. This is all done under the auspices of saving their souls .

My belief is we took many beautiful groups of people who had achieved a state of harmonious living with the land and life they occupied and removed their self-esteem and purpose as a key to their environment.

Some years back, partly as a result of my personal struggles and studies, my concept of god began to change. First, I went through an agnostic period with lots of anger at a deity who, at a whim, let someone die, acquire terrible diseases, etc. Then I professed atheism for a while and now I’m a religious mongrel who believes if there is a thing we can really name ( I am that I am, Yaweh, etc. it must be a moving, ever evolving, ever changing force that we and everything else is a part of. But, this way of living leaves the work and responsibility with each of us. It kicks us out of the nest.

James Cavanaugh, in his poem. “My Easy God Is Gone” says he once knew what god wanted and expected and now he is alone with his choices. The question….are you tough and free enough to go to the intuition in you or do you need an outside god?

Here I stand, a new earthly inhabitant and in immigration I am presented with a catalog, Current Available Religions of the World , must pick one or check “undecided”. There are representatives sitting around the large room. In one corner sits a Buddhist monk meditating in the lotus position. At the opposite corner a Southern Baptist Church minister points his finger at a cowering immigrant…”if you don’t do these things you’ll burn in hell!”….hmmmmm, which to pick…?????